Eid Greetings 1439/2018

Before I greet my readers with HAPPY EID, let me pen what-it-is about this joyous occasion.

Now is the time when Muslims all over the world pay farewell to their blissful beloved month of Ramazan that brings serenity and tranquility in everyone’s life and temporarily transforms them from earthly to angelic.

With end of Ramazan, comes the time of unwinding and the days of fasting changes into a day of feasting. The day is known as Eid ul Fitr. This feast is however not a feast in the usual sense. There is no splash of colours, no serving of liquor, no hangovers, no pukes, no gambling, and no indecencies.

The morning has an extra compulsory prayer in which the assembly is much larger than other days, even more than Fridays. Small mosques are not capacious enough to provide the services to so many people in one session. Hence this additional prayer is performed in bigger mosques or large open fields. Format of the prayer is completely different and it finishes with a special sermon.

Not only this extra prayer, believers have to pay extra charity before attending the prayer. (This charity is different from Zakat i.e. 2.5 % of yearly savings.)
The extra charity to be paid by every member of the household, even minors, is known as Fitra and that is why this Eid is known as Eid ul Fitr.

Eid is the occasion of thanksgiving to the Almighty. Thanks are expressed to the Compassionate Cherisher Lord in return of His favours. He provided the opportunity and strength to wilfully obey the commands of fasting, prayers, recitation of holy books and free will to seek spiritual enlightenment during the holy month. All these tasks became so easy that outwardly appeared difficult.

Once the duty of extra charity and extra prayers are met, socializing and rejoicing commences. Special joyous occasion is for the little boys and girls who appear to me as the angels and fairies sent from heaven. Thus continues the greeting of each other with vermicelli preparations, sweets, sherbets, exotic food, new clothes and amusing civilized gestures of merriments. In spite of the unwinding, the enjoyments remain socially, culturally and religiously within the permitted limits.

I hope the above brief introduction to this Eid-after -Ramazan is of help to those who are not fully aware. Others may consider this as a summarized refresher.

By the way, Eid literally means the joyous occasion which recurs again and again.

Let me conclude by greeting everyone with supplications for good health- physical as well as spiritual, sound state of mind, adequate wealth, and peaceful happy life.

VERY BLISSFUL EID-UL-FITR TO ALL.

Welcoming Ramadan 1439/2018

Eagerly awaited guest – the month of Ramazan ( also spelled as Ramadan) is already in our midst.

One fourth of world’s population ( Muslims) consider extremely blessed to be part of this month-long journey. I regard this journey as a migration :
From feast to fast; From mundane to sublime; From receiving to giving; From apathy to empathy ; From saving to spending; From anxiety to tranquility; From excitement to restraint; From exasperation to patience; From fiction to scripture; From arrogance to humbleness; From sleepiness to wakefulness; From ostentation to sincerity; From irreverence to piety; From earthly to angelic……..

May the blessings of this month extend to the entire year and also
to all remaining years of our lives. Amen.

Extending supplications and hearty greetings to everyone on this pious and blissful occasion.

How lazy I have been!

I am extremely sorry that I was away from my WordPress for almost two years.

Let it be known that I was not away from pen and paper. However, I was posting my thoughts on Facebook page only.

I do promise that now onward I shall try to post my thoughts on WordPress as well.

 

On September 11

Mr. Craig Considine is a young well-read conscientious Christian living in United States of America and is a lecturer in an American University. I try to go through his writings on regular basis and find them fascinating and illuminating.
Today is 9-11. I do consider it very appropriate to share Criag’s thoughts related to this dreadful day of the recent history.

Sayeed Akhtar
==========================================================================

Here is a slightly different perspective of what I will never forget about 9/11. Before I do that, I want to say that I grieve the loss of all souls that passed away on that day, and every other day where humanity crumbles because of outrageous acts of mass murder. My heart goes out to the families that have to live with the absence of lost ones.

I was 15-years-old on 9/11/2001. There were maybe a couple of Muslims in Needham, MA, a town of about 30,000 people that I grew up in. The closest mosque is about 15 miles away, maybe more. I had never met a Muslim in my life until I was 19-years-old.

School was cancelled once the Towers fell. I will never forget students chanting things like “USA USA!” and “Fuck the towel heads” in the hallways. Patriotic fervor was high, as you can imagine. For some reason, hysterical students yelling is the one scene that is imprinted in my mind. I remember this image like it was yesterday.

Like most 15-year-olds in America, I had hardly any clue about Islam or Muslims. I say honestly that I fell into the trap of Islamophobia. How could you blame me. In the years after 9/11, the American public was fed outrageous propaganda. We were told Islam and American values were inherently incompatible, and Muslims were trying to destroy our way of life.

Months after I enrolled in college, I decided that I wanted to study politics and international relations. My goal in doing so – to understand the “bad guys.” In the American lexicon, that meant – and probably still means – Muslims. I started to take Arabic classes and courses like “The World of Islam.” I wanted to be a CIA agent. You know, defend the homeland and protect “our” way of life.

But hours after sitting in my first class on Islam, I learned of the famous hadith: “the ink of the scholar is more sacred than the blood of the martyr.” Those 14 words changed my life forever. It shifted my brain into a different realm. I learned quickly that much of what I had thought about Islam and Muslims was totally wrong. I figured out that I had been brainwashed, and that I had to de-program myself from thinking a certain way about things like the Quran and Prophet Muhammad.

So I started to study. I read book after book after book. I went to mosques. I spent time with Muslims in their homes, schools, and businesses. I interviewed them. I shed tears with them. I enjoyed the company of their friends and family. We broke bread together. We became friends. We became brothers and sisters.

Today, some of my best friends happen to be Muslim. I consider them to be not only extraordinary Americans, but amazing human beings. I depend on them. I admire them. They inspire me to be a better American, a better Christian, and a better human being.

I have learned so much by combining scholarship with activism. You cannot separate the two if you really want to understand the experiences of people or groups. Perhaps books are the starting point of acquiring any kind of knowledge, but without real-life exposure to the issues that you are studying, your knowledge base will be incomplete. The moral of the story – I am where I am today because I made myself available to others with an open mind and a big heart.

To make a long story short, I will never forget the kind of person I was on 9/11/2001. My transformation has been night and day. There are probably millions of young Americans who are now thinking just as I did fifteen years ago. That is scary and potentially dangerous. My goal now is to share my stories, heart and mind with others in the hope of reaching people who might be dealing with Islamophobia. Perhaps in doing so we can prevent the spread of misunderstanding, hatred, and violence. Let us work together to prevent future 9/11’s either on American soil or abroad. 

Craig Considine

====================================================================

 

My opinion about ISIS

On 13-7-2016 I had expressed my opinion as given below:

My opinion about ISIS

It gives me so much pain even to bring this term on my tongue. Unfortunately, they themselves, plus the mischievous media have incorrectly made this term synonymous with my sublime beautiful system of beliefs and conduct known as Islam. This is the reason I feel necessary to express my extreme disdain and utter disgust for these bunch of people who are curse for humanity. Its havoc is so mind boggling and shameful that even its joint creators viz. Arab Salafis and Western war mongers are now disowning it.

The full Form of ISIS is formally referred as Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.
First of all, they are not at all Islamic. Secondly they can’t be called a State.
Finally, their scope of trouble is not limited to Iraq and Syria only.

Hence the terminology is as inappropriate and unreasonable as they are.

The expansion of its letters that comes to my mind is as follows:

1. International Society of Inhumane Scoundrels.
   2. Inbred Salafis and Insurgent Savages.
   3. Incorrect Symbol of Islamic Sublimity.

 The list can be extended further but I shall like my friends to add some new suitable expansions.
====================================================================

Above was my opinion. Now Canada government has announced that they will not use the term ISIS any more since:
This group is neither Islamic nor a state, and so will be referred to as Daesh (its Arabic acronym).
As per Govt. spokesperson, DAESH makes their name more insulting than flattering.
======================================================================
Today I am touching this subject once again because I want you to compare the underlined texts in green color above in two sections. It seems, if people think seriously and sincerely, the thoughts resonate in air and reaches somehow even to decision makers.
As regard the expansion of the acronym DAESH, I have two expressions at the moment
1.  Die-hard Atrocious and Evil Satanic Hoodlums
2. Devilish Agency of Extremist Salafi Hirelings

What is your opinion?

 

My Opinion about Mr. Zakir Naik and exchange of thoughts

To understand the background of this thread, please click  here
Please provide your inputs in the area assigned for comments at the bottom.

=============================================================

(from an old friend whose name as well as some of his comments are removed at his request)

As slam Alaikum, Normally I do not comment on above subject but now I will suggest you to join Sangh Parivar.  They will be very happy to receive you.

——
My reply:

Thank you so much for doing something which normally you don’t do.
You have given me the advice to join Sangh Parivar that is well known to be anti-Muslim fanatics. What a great suggestion my friend.!

We were together from school days and you must be remembering  Ram Mohun Roy Seminary, Patna, That school and my upbringing had taught me plurarism and broad- mindedness. Let me quote an Urdu couplet to please the souls.of our school Urdu and Persian teachers – Agha saheb and Betab Siddiqui saheb.
                          Zaahid-e-Tang Nazar Ne Mujhe Kaafir Jaana
Aur Kaafir Yeh Samjhta Hai Musalmaan Hoon Main
A rough translation to describe this dilemma is:
                             (The devout religious fellow thinks I am an unbeliever
                               and the Unbeliever thinks  I am a Muslim).

Please note that in the rough translation I intentionally  left an important word. TANG NAZAR. You may be a Zaahid my friend but the poet is telling that 
the devout fellow who is giving the judgment is short sighted and narrow-minded.

=====================================================================

My reply  after getting the comments from Mr.  —- and Mr. Sarfaraz Khitani

Let us go back to July 8, 2016. I wrote my opinion about a famous person who is considered a hero by many. I just wrote few facts. It was sent to some selected people in my contact list. It was a public discourse. I am doing this and sharing my views for years on different topics. You must have gone through so many emails of mine but you did not bother to say a word about my earlier views. After so many years you came up with this suggestion.

On my opinion of July 8, I got many agreements ad concurrences. Just one mail pointed out that my opinion is subjective.

On July 24, I wrote a sequel to the above with clarification on first criticism and a personal anecdote from another friend.

In between these dates, I wrote another write-up titled “My opinion regarding ISIS” (on July 12). No one on my recipients’ list dared to say a word of disagreement about this..All of them remained conveniently prudent and politically correct.

The SEQUEL on Zakir Naik created a havoc and brought open the pent up feelings of many. Now permanently silent people too picked up the rocks. An old friend of mine threw the first stone and few from the horde start jumping with “I do agree” chant. They too started throwing rocks and pebbles.  I shall collect those rocks and pebbles later and check whether they deserve to be trashed or used in future.

When you received the sequel, my sentences gave you immense trouble. Instead of writing anything on the topic, you gave me your suggestion to join Sangh Parivar. This showed extreme anger inside you and you know it was not as a joke. I gave a short reply. In my reply there is no anger, hatred or ill feelings. I had put my reply on a public domain where it belonged since that is how the discourse started. That time you did not have any objection.

Then you sent few more sentences and that too not connected about the main topic regarding that ‘star’.  You sincerely followed the instruction and sent your clarification on my WordPress weblog. The site required my approval. I gave the approval. Till then you did not have objection.

Reading your precious suggestion and later clarification, another respected friend Mr. Sarfaraz Khitani came  with his rejoinder. Of course you don’t know him. You will be knowing hardly 5-6 people, Mr. Khitani and his family members have given immense sacrifice for their belief. He will not like to say more about his strengthe of belief and the price he had to pay. Naturally your suggestion could not be digested by Mr. Khitani. He was shocked to hear such a suggestion.

Now  about your not telling me Kaafir justasking me to become a member of RSS.

Dear Enam, RSS is an organization of the Kaafirs in true sense. One can’t join them until you discard your own faith. Even Muslim members of BJP can’t join them. They are the staunchest enemy of Muslims and all those who have soft corner for Muslims. They have only one-point agenda of killing and finally eliminating Muslims from the Indian soil. They could not spare even Gandhiji. Any Kaafir even can’t join them just like that. For your information, to enlightened Non-Muslims in my circle even to think of this option will be abusive and insulting. Taliban, BokoHaram, and ISIS are Xerox copes of Parivar on a different color paper.

In fact Mr. Khitani spoke very reservedly and just pointed out the awkward suggestion you made.
Your advising me to join Sangh Parivar is more despicable than telling me Kaafir. Kafir calling is not as serious as telling me Mushrik. Many amongst us feel proud to give many of us the title of Qabar Parast (Grave Worshippers). They think they are great puritans, we are Mushriks and we can’t reach their level of Tauheed. They are just another version of Parivar

A s regards your social work especially in the field of education, no doubt it is very commendable.

My sincere Kudos. However, don’t get frustrated if you are not getting the desired support. However, if they don’t listen to you, please don’t start refelecting “are we Muslims”.

As regards lack of unity, I shall express my opinion after doing some more study of history.

As regards removing your post from the weblog, let this topic be finally closed after sometime. I shall surely delink your comment from your name.

Yours

Sayeed

P.S.

On a lighter note, you have written that you are now around 72. Since I was your class mate, everyone will think I am as young as you. Luckily I am married, otherwise it would have been too difficult to think about it. Let me clarify, I was a baby amongst men. Some of our batch mates were older than you.

Cheers my friend. Continue doing good work.

 

My Opinion about Zakir Naik

I had sent an email to some of my friends and posted the same content on my Facebook page as well. What I wrote is as follows

Lately Mr. Zakir Naik is too much in news. Some people keep him on a very high pedestal.
Here are few words that express my own feelings about him.

This man with Wahabi / Salafi ideology has great memorization skill and has spent too much time  studying comparative religion.
With petrodollar funding, his own TV channel, ill-informed supporters and media’s cunning tricks he gets lots of publicity.
However he hurts the feelings of people of other faiths much more than winning their hearts.
Unfortunately ignorant Muslims think he is an  expert on spiritual matters.
Let me conclude here with following lines:

DON’T GIVE HIM IMPORTANCE SO HIGH,
HE HAS JUST MEMORIZED CHAPTER X VERSE Y,
SURVIVES ONLY DUE TO RIYAL,
FOOLS THINK HE KNOWS ALL.

MAGIC OF URDU

Below is a YouTube link.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=RmnF9GZNJH4

Please keep in consideration the environment. It is a HIndu temple area in Gujarat , India. The patron of the concert is a famous Hindu saint. The congregation comprises Guru’s disciples and the regular attendees – most of them are not  Urduites. 

Now you watch the linked video carefully till the end.
Observe the reactions of the listeners. Singer is Osman Mir from Gujarat. Guru Bapu Murari  is the patron. The Ghazal being recited is by late  Khumar Barabankwi. One can see the appreciation flowing from the eyes and ears of listeners and the  very visible ecstasy of  Shri Bapu Murari.

This undoubtedly is the beauty of Urdu literature especially Ghazal. When recited or sung nicely it turns into Magic.

Urdu is the Magic which is spellbinding, magnetic and hypnotic . It is irresistible even for those who are not so friendly towards it.

JAADOO WOH JO SAR CHADH KAR BOLAY.

In my opinion the presentation is a knockout blow to those who project Urdu as the language of Muslims.

                                                                            *************

Comments on Kanti Akhtar’s poem

In my previous post  (dated January 27, 2014) I had published a soul touching poem by Kanti Akhtar written after returning from Madinah – the city of Holy Prophet (pbuh).

Prior to that web post, I had introduced the poem to everyone in my circle through e-mail.

Below I am reproducing the responses I received from my readers sent at my email address. They are listed here chronologically in the order they were received.

 

1.    Masood Ali Khan, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

This is really something special from your better half….

what all I can say, this is fazal and nazar of our beloved Prophet on her …

Definitely she is blessed there…..

This will come only after the blessings…

2.    Hassan Sharif, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

This is as evocative as one can get about this city of enlightenment!
I am absolutely wonderstruck about the feelings it inspires, to say anything more
would be too insouciant.

3.    Syed Farid Maharaj, Ajmer, India

Excellent !. Please keep us connected with your radiant self…,
Congratulation to Kanti Bhabi.

4.    Ahsanul Haque, Makkah, Saudi Arabia

True feelings….I admire the hidden talent in bhabhee

5.    Kunigal Azizullah Shariff, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Alhamdolillah a very soothing poetry for the inner feelings striking all the right cords to enlighten the soul and provide the fodder for future.
May Allah SWT Bless Kanti Bhabi for a marvelous creation.

6.    Hafiz Ishtiaq Talib, Toronto, Canada

I just read the poem written by Kanti Bhabi.

I am very pleased and totally thrilled by it.
Please convey my heart felt congratulations to her.
May Allah SW bless her for the beautiful thoughts and true feelings.

7.    M.Z. Anis, Kolkata, India

It is a very nice touching poem & perhaps its greatest benefit to us will come – as the poetess herself says – “if we follow Prophet’s footsteps with hearts pure”

8.    Salikah Iqbal, Toronto, Canada

Poem is beautiful

9.    Ekramul Hoque Sarkar, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Since it is from your better half we expected the best and it is true feeling.  Maashallah

10. Syed Jalal Quadri, Chicago, USA

Subhan Allah!!
Very touchy expression reflecting the sacred city’s surroundings and its attributes and the spiritual impact of its visitors which are hard to describe.
May Allah swt increase more and more attachment and reverence. Jazakallah!!

11. Siraj Iqbal, Toronto, Canada

It is very rhythmic, lots of good advice.

We need in this present time day to day.

If I am permitted I would like to share the poem with my friends.

12. Naveed Akhtar, Mississauga, Canada

It is a very nice poem. I think it has captured the feel of Madinah beautifully.
You can actually visualize this poem.

13. Syed Rashiq Ahmad, Dammam, Saudi Arabia

Great !.MashaAllah !. Bahut khoob !. Keya kahne hain !. Wah wah, wah wah !

14. Rachid Ochletree, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Mashallah, very touching.

15. Mohammed Rahim Khan, Chicago, USA

Congratulations to both of you. It is great. .Poem like this can be written only when one has great knowledge, thoughts and vision. This is not just a poem but a gist of the knowledge both of you possess.

16. Dr. Syed Zafar Hafiz, Tanuma, Saudi Arabia

Nice poem! Mabrook!

17. Farrukh Shahab, Detroit, USA

It is really a heart touching poem. It is true that good things come to good people. Please congratulate her on this achievement and please keep up the good work.

18. Nazish Bin Zain, Bangalore, India

Subhan-Allah! what a beautiful poem !. This eloquently conveys the spirit and holiness of the city as well as the Prophet (PBUH). Very remarkable given that she composed it in a day.

19. Abdul Wasay, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Excellent expression of soul & thought; Deeply impressed specially by “Unworthy Blind”

Jazakallah Khair

20. Enam Khan, Patna, India

Very good poem and it reminds my visit in 2012

21. Razia Anees, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

I feel special that you have asked for my opinion on Kanti’s masterpiece.

A visit to Medina usually makes most of us very emotional but to be able to express it in such a beautiful manner……I am speechless.
This confirms the fact that Allah has endowed Kanti with a special talent. Use it Kanti, let us have some more.

22. Almas and Akhtar Baqa, Missisauga, Canada

It is beautiful and heart touching feeling. May Allah bless you and your family!

23.  Kamal Ashraf & Sumbul, Winnipeg, Canada

This is so nice and heart touching poem.

She wrote this poem such a beautiful way, I feel she gave words to every one’s feelings.

I feel who ever will read this poem will like so much.

24. Jawed Hassan, Bahrain

It was really worthy to read the poem on our Prophet (PUBH).

Jazak Allah Khair! Ma’sallam wa Khairun Inshallah,

25. Junaid Zuberi, Mississauga, Canada

Thank you so much for sharing. This is indeed beautifully expressed.

26. Anees Ahmed, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Beautifully rendered             Bless you  Kanti Akhtar!

27. Malik and Jenneth, Missisauga, Canada

Wow! That’s very sincere and beautifully composed. I can feel a sense of spiritually being aroused.  Jazakallah khairan

28. Shahnaz and Irfan Khan, Hyderabad, India

Thanks for the Natiya kalam.

We both read it again and again and the more we read the more our hearts were filled with Hubbe Rasool

New meanings and nuances came to our mind —it reflects outpourings of someone who is emotionally and spiritually stirred and is irresistibly attracted to Rasool and Madinah—-it is indeed very brilliantly worded and the translation of Madinah Monawwara is also very apt.

There is only AAMAD and no AWURD in this Naat —written based on heart- felt and genuine feelings- oozing out all the way– you wrote what you felt.

I have always respected the quietly brilliant and unassuming Kanti but after reading this soulful Naat written spontaneously, I believe if you “feel” like you can be a very good poet also. I did not know this so- far- hidden talent.

sorry for delay in expressing our deep appreciation of the brilliant renderings of the feelings of a devout pilgrim to Madina.

29. Nour  Syed, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia        

YA ALLAH ITNI MOHABBAT KE SAATH IS PYARI TEHREER KE LIKHNEY WALEY KO DUNIYA AUR AKHIRAT MEIN AALA MUQAM ATA FARMA. YA ALLAH HUM GUNAHGARUN KU JALD AZ JALD AUR BAR BAR JAAN SE ZYADA AZIZ PYAREY NABI (PBUH) KE MADINA PAK KI ZIYARAT NASEEB FARMA (AMEEN)

JAZAKALLAH KHAIR

30. Shahood Alam, Mumbai, India

Wonderful!  Bhabhi is a Great Poet. Please keep writing such thoughtful lines again and again. Allah Hafiz

31. Azam Khan, Qatar

My wife and myself both read the beautiful poem written by bhabi. Poem is really very well written and expresses the heart felt feelings one can experience in Madinah Munawwara.

32. Mukhtar Nabi, Los Angeles, USA

Great!. Feelings put together very very nicely. May Allah give you all you wished for!

Remember us in your prayers.

33. Meerza Hasan Nizami Rumi, Brantford, Canada

MashAllah! I am impressed! What a beautiful Na’at! No doubt, Kanti bhabi has written it with the power of love but with genuine humility. Hence, it is not only a NA’AT but a DUA too, as evident in the first and last couplet.

This poem brings forward a spontaneous flow of respectful words for our Prophet SAW. This is why; every couplet seems to emanate fragrance of our Prophet’s courtyard.

While reading this NA’AT of Kanti bhabi, again and again this thought came to mind that how fortunate she is to partake in the celebration of Mawlid in a real way. I have no doubt that unless and until, it is willed by the Prophet SAW himself, it is impossible to find proper words to praise Him. After all, He is a Being about whom Allah says:

                     Wa Raf’Ana laka Zikrak!

Allama Iqbal nae ‘khyalaat ki balandi’ ki munasibat sae saheeh farmaya hai

                    Dil se jo baat nikalti hai asar rakhti hai
Par nahin taqat-e parwaaz magar rakhti hai

And this sweet NA’AT is a vivid example of such height of heights.

34. Mohammed Alam, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

How should I express! It’s beautiful.
Many many thanks for including me. I have forwarded the same to my two daughters, only son & other dearest one. I am sorry for not taking your permission.  With kind regards

35. Sarfaraz Khithani, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

SubhanAllah, is all I can say. It is like something spoken by the tongue of the heart. It conveys the love of the Creator’s Beloved & their prayers too.
My congratulations to your wife. Duagoh to both of you & Jazak Allah Khair.

36. Wael Amer, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

It is a very good poem…..Best Regards,

37. Dr. Md.Firoze, Kolkata, India

I didn’t know that your better half is a poetess too. The poem on Madinah by her in English is really touching and it seems that it has come out from the depth of her heart.
I congratulate her for such a poetic venture and hope she would continue doing so in future.

38. Danish Hassan, India

Indeed it is a nice poem!. Can I share it with my friends??.

39. Kamal Ather, Mississauga, Canada

Sayeed sahib, this is a very touching poem from bhabi. This shows great love and respect.

But I like most was ‘ keep us connected’, and I say Ameen, Ameen Ameen.

Please convey my salaam and congratulations to Kanti bhabi

40. Abdul Mujeeb, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

When you asked my feelings about the poem written by Bhabi,I am forced to give my expressions even though I never dare to write or speak in front of both of yours highly acquired & bestowed knowledge. We have already benefited so much with your company Alhamdolillah. Regarding her poem, it is superb and shows a real hazri/presence at Madinah al Munawwarah. She has talents and further blessed by Huzoor-e-Pak when she intended to do so. So many ladies visit there but hardly anybody expressed in such a beautiful way.

41. Fizza and Asdarul Haque, Karachi, Pakistan

We just read your poem, a beautiful and indeed full discription of Madina in very few words. Last two verses are universal feelings of we think every visitor of Madina.
Thank-you for sharing such a beautiful sentiment…

42. Sameer Akhtar, Mississauga, Canada

It is so beautiful, I can’t express in words.
Made me cry.
I am reminded that the Prophet (pbuh) told us we will be with those whom we love.

43. Rashid Ahmed, Mississauga, Canada

I read the poem. it was really heart touching, tell your better half to keep up the good work. Regards..

44. Jafar Ali, Saudi Arabia

Very nice. I have shared it with my friends in Facebook

45. Mohammad Shamim, Houston, USA

Masha Allah a heart touching poem written by bhabi is really her best feeling and also of all Muslim Ummah .Say my best regards and Salam to her.

46. Samreen Zain, Dubai, UAE

It is very touching and spiritual. And Kudos to bhabhi’s poetry skills.
My heartiest wishes on her beautiful poem!.

47. Syed Ameen, Maryland, USA

Kanti is not just a better-half, but a talented-half as well. You are good in composing poems in Urdu which happens to be your mother tongue. Kanti is a great Shaa-er in English – a much challenging task because English is not her mother tongue.
Hats-off to Kanti for composing such a heart touching Na’at in English.

48. Raheela Naseem, Mississauga, Canada

Saeed bhai, We just read the poem written by our dear Kanti. It made us speechless, beautifully written and reflects her emotions very well.
Salams and please forward mine and Naseem’s Mubarak to Kanti for such a beautiful poem

49. Syed Zulwiqar, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Thanks for sharing this beautiful poem, congratulations to your much better half

Madinah Al Munawwarah is glowing with light purest of the pure. Characteristic of the light is its continuity without gap. Hearts, filled with love can only sight this shining light.

The poem is a reflection of this enlightenment

50. Tasneem Banu, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Straight from the heart .beautifully described in simple words

 

As mentioned in the beginning the above messages were sent to me by e-mail. There were others who commented and commended on phone.

When asked about her feelings regarding  all these approving and appreciating responses to her poem, reply of the poetess was “I am immensely moved and overwhelmed. My sincere thanks to all”

 

A Touching Poem by Kanti Akhtar

Dear All,

I am posting this blog after a gap of almost six months.
Sorry for the overextended absence.

Recently after returning from the holy city of  Madinah, this poem was written by my better half.

 She wrote the poem on one day’s notice; since it was to be read in a special private gathering.

 I and all those who read or heard the poem felt the composition as a heart-felt inspiration of the visit.

 My Blog is privileged to reproduce the poem, with her permission of course, so that the feelings and message expressed here could be shared by all.

 Click on the poem’s title “Madinah-the Radiant City”for your perusal and comments.

Sayeed Akhtar

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